Senate committee approves bill to increase number of SC judges

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Senate Committee on Justice has approved a bill to raise the number of Supreme Court justices from 17 to 25, a move that faced opposition from members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Farooq H Naek, convened to discuss the bill, which was introduced by Senator Abdul Qadir. He emphasized that the country’s growing population and rising crime rates have caused cases to drag on across generations, while the number of justices remains as it was in the 1990s, leading to a backlog in the higher courts.

Senator Kamran Murtaza added that vacancies in high courts and delays in the Supreme Court have become significant issues. He noted that while the Court has increased its daily caseload to over 30 cases, unresolved cases have continued to accumulate.

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Opposition to the bill was also expressed by Senator Hamid Khan, who highlighted that India, with a much larger population, has 34 Supreme Court justices. He argued that internal conflicts within Pakistan’s Supreme Court have contributed to delays in hearings, suggesting that increasing the number of justices may not be the solution. Khan further recommended consulting the Supreme Court on this expansion before passing the bill.

Senator Anusha Rehman questioned parliamentary privileges and benefits for retired justices, particularly noting that while members of Parliament cover their utility bills, the government pays utility expenses for justices, even post-retirement. She criticized pensions for retired justices who had resigned, adding that the 26th Amendment had negatively impacted the judiciary.

Expressing further concerns, Senator Murtaza alleged that the move was a way for the government to shift the Court’s majority in its favor, citing divisions that had previously emerged within the Court. Senator Qadir, however, refuted this, insisting that the Supreme Court is currently unified.

Despite the opposition, the committee ultimately approved the bill, which designates 25 justices, including the Chief Justice. Senators Hamid Khan and Kamran Murtaza of JUI-F formally objected to the increase, voicing concerns over the implications for judicial independence.